Vertical Acquires Psychological Thriller ‘Sharp Corner’ Starring Ben Foster & Cobie Smulders

EXCLUSIVE: Vertical has acquired U.S. rights to Sharp Corner, an indie psychological thriller, starring Ben Foster (Hell or High Water) and Cobie Smulders (How I Met Your Mother), which scored positive reviews out of the Rome Film Festival and TIFF, where the deal was completed.

The film, based on the Scotiabank Giller Prize-nominated short story from Russell Wangersky, will be released next spring.

Sharp Corner follows Josh McCall (Foster), a hapless family man, and his wife Rachel (Smulders) as they escape the city for an idyllic country house — the perfect setting to raise their six-year-old son, Max (William Kosovic). But on their first night at home, a fatal car accident disrupts their plans. Rachel would rather erase the event from her memory, but Josh finds himself drawn to the tragedy and becomes obsessed with saving the lives of the car accident victims at the sharp corner in front of his house. As Josh’s obsession takes hold, he places his wife and son in jeopardy, setting in motion a series of events that threaten to break his family apart.

This is the second feature from write-director Jason Buxton after 2012’s Blackbird, which won the Best Canadian First Feature Film award at the Toronto Film Festival and the Grand Jury Prize at Cannes Écrans Juniors. Also starring Gavin Drea (Daisy Jones & The Six), it’ll be released in Canada by Elevation Pictures. Range Media Partners co-repped the film for domestic and Neon International is representing the foreign rights, continuing at AFM.

Commented Vertical Partner Peter Jarowey, “We are excited to bring Sharp Corner to US audiences later this spring. Jason’s expertly crafted second feature delivers a gripping psychological thriller with a satirical edge elevated by the powerful and captivating performances of Ben Foster and Cobie Smulders.”

“Following the enthusiastic response at TIFF,” stated producer Paul Barkin, “we are thrilled to partner with Vertical to bring Jason Buxton’s tense and relatable, morality tale to a wide audience across the U.S.”

Sharp Corner, a Canada-Ireland co-production, is produced with the participation of Telefilm Canada, Crave, and with the support of The Canada Media Fund, Screen Nova Scotia Content Creator Fund, Ontario Creates, in association with Fis Éireann/Screen Ireland. Production financing was provided by 120dB Films and Blue Rider Media Capital.

Producers are Barkin for Alcina Pictures, Marc Tetreault & Jason Levangie for Shut Up & Colour Pictures, Susan Mullen for Kobalt Films, and Buxton for Workhorse Pictures. Cameron MacLaren, and Neon’s Kristen Figeroid, along with Adrian Love, Laurie May, and Noah Segal from Elevation Pictures, served as EPs.

Jarowey and SVP of Production & Development Kristin Harris negotiated the deal for Vertical, with Barkin and Figeroid repping the production.